ILOILO City – The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) held its annual Western Visayas Information Officers’ Year-end Conference and Awards yesterday, honoring the best performing information offices, officers and agency publications.
With the theme “Engaging Information Officers Onward to a Stronger Philippine Digital Economy”, the event was conducted in partnership with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) 6 at District21 Hotel here.
PIA-6 OIC regional head Jemin Guillermo said the conference promoted “fellowship and information sharing opportunities to the information network in Western Visayas.”
For this year, the five information officers honored were the following:
* Roxas City Communications Group from Capiz
* Public Affairs and Information Office of Bago City government in Negros Occidental
* Knowledge Management Unit of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 6
* Passi City Information Office in Iloilo
* Office of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan.
Information officers were also cited based on the criteria set by the awards committee. They were Fire Officer 3 Vilmarie Pagunsan of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Antique; Imelda Franco of the Passi City government; Drexel Glen Pajarilla of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Negros Occidental 2; Lucy Sinay of the Iloilo City Information Office; Leizl Galan-Gatinao of the Guimaras provincial government; Joeffrey Espiritu of the Department of Health (DOH) Capiz; Liza Joyce Songcayawon of PhilHealth Antique; and Ace Balboa of Bago City Information Office.
The agency also gave a Hall of Fame award for the information offices and officers who received the best performing recognition for three consecutive years.
Conferred as Hall of Fame Awardees for Best Performing Information Office were the Roxas City Communications Group and the Bago City Public Affairs and Information Office.
Pagunsan, Pajarilla and Balboa were the awardees in the Hall of Fame for information officers.
PIA-6 also cited the top three best agency publications for their various newsletters, magazines or news magazines, special publications, and tabloid or newspaper entries.
For digital media, the top three agencies for the best Facebook page and social media infographics were also recognized.
The event was graced by Undersecretary Ramon Lee Cualoping, PIA director-general who highlighted the importance of communicating and explaining to the public the government’s programs, policies and services. (PIA-6)/PN
